Reciprocating flying shear



Oct. 28, 1941. TALBOT 2,261,007

RECIPROCATING FLYING SHEAR Filed Nov. 9, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV ENTOR.

' WW y-5M4 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECIPROCATING FLYINGSHEAR Howard H. Talbot, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to United Engineeringand Foundry Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication November 9, 1940, Serial No. 365,049

9 Claims.

This invention relates to reciprocating flying shears, and moreparticularly to those capable of missing cuts when desired so as to varythe length of the sheets cut from a strip.

In reciprocating flying shears of this character known heretofore theblades are reciprocated by eccentrics, used herein as abroad term tocover cranks as well, which are rotatable relative to each other topermit cuts to be missed. For this purpose the eccentric that operatesthe lower blade usually rotates around the eccentric that reciprocatesthe upper blade, in which case the upper blade, as it is moved back andforth in the path of the strip, travels inan oval path. on the otherhand, although the lower blade travels forward during a cutting strokein a curve substantially the same as the upper blade, on the back strokeit travels in a path similar in shape to its forward path but slightlybelow it. Without an abnormally great eccentric throw it is diflicult toobtain sufficient clearance between the strip and the bottom blade onits back stroke to avoid striking the overhanging end of the oncomingstrip and thereby scratching it.

Also, when the strip is fed into the shear for 2.

the first crop cut the blades may be moving through their back stroke,whereby the lower blade may strike the strip end overhanging theentering guide and cause a cobble.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a reciprocatingflying shear in which both blades always travel in paths that assureadequate clearance between the blades and the strip during backstrokes,in which miscuts can be effected without affecting the basic type ofblade paths, and in which the miscut conditions are controlled in arelatively simple manner.

In accordance with this invention a movable frame carries a fixed bladeand a movable blade. A pair of eccentrics, which are rigidly mountedrelative to each other but are rotatable on a common axis, areoperatively connected to the frame and movable blade in order toreciprocate the blades. The frame is oscillated in the path of travel ofthe strip material passing through the shear so that the strip will beout without tearing or buckling. To permit cuts to be missed. themovable blade is connected to one of the eccentrics through the mediumof an adjustable eccentric rotatably mounted on the first-mentionedeccentric. The position of the adjustable eccentric relative to itssupporting eccentric at the center of each forward stroke of the bladesdetermines whether the blades will make or miss a cut.

illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is an end view,partly in' section, of my shear; Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken onthe line II-II of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on theline III-III of Fig. 1 and showing the shear drive in plan; Fig. 4 is afragmentary vertical section taken on the line IV--IV of Fig. 1; Fig. 5is a..view, similar to Fig. 4,of the main eccentrics rotated 180; Fig. 6is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line VIVI of Fig. landshowing the adjustable eccentric rotated 90 relative to the position ofthe eccentrics shown in Fig. 4; and Figs. 7 and 8 are views similar toFig. 6, but with the gearing omitted, showing the adjustable eccentricin two other positions relative to the main eccentrics.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings,

a horizontal shaft I has offset end portions that are joumaled in a pairof pedestal bearings 2. The central portion of the shaft thus forms acrank or eccentric, and between this portion and each pedestal 2 theshaft is provided integrally with an eccentric 3 that isrotatablymounted in the lower end of one of the end posts 4 of a'shear frame 5.Rigidly connected to the frame between its end posts is a top shearblade 6 which is moved up and down by the frame when eccentrics 3revolve. The inner faces of end posts 4 are provided with longitudinallyextending recesses l in which the ends of a movable cross beam 8 areslidably mounted. This beam, which carries a bottom shear blade 9, is

pivotally connected near its ends to links H the lower ends of which areoperatively connected to the onset central portion of shaft I. As theaxis of the central portion of the shaft and the axis of eccentrics 3are on opposite sides of the axis of the shafts offset end portions, itfollows that cross beam 8 is moved upwardly as frame 5 is moveddownwardly, whereby the blades come together and shear intopredetermined lengths the strip material that is continuously fedbetween them from the exit guides [2 of a roller leveler I3 or the like.

As shown in Fig. 3, shaft l is driven at any desired speed from a driveshaft I5 that is driven from an electric motor l6 through a suitablespeed-changing unit II, pinion l8, gear I9, pinion 20. and gear 2|mounted on shaft l5. To cause the blades to move forward at the samespeed as the strip during each cut so that it will not buckle, shearframe 5 is oscillated around its supporting eccentrics 3 and is alsoheld upright by means of links 22 pivotally connected to The preferredembodiment of the invention is bosses 23 projecting outwardly from theframes side posts. The opposite ends of these links are pivotallyconnected to crank arms 24 projecting .radially from a shaft 25 that isjournaled in a pair of pedestal bearings 26 in front of the shear frame.This shaft supports between its bearings a drum 21 around which conveyorbelts 28 extend for carrying sheets away from the shear. Shaft 25 isdriven from pinion 20 by a gear 29 and an accelerating mechanism 30(Fig. 3), such as shown in my Patent No. 1,973,515, that is adjustableto cause the blades to move forward at the same speed as the strip atthe moment each cut occurs.

Due to the oscillation of the shear frame and to the fact that theeccentric central portion of shaft l is always disposed, in effect 180from eccentrics 3, both blades always travel in substantially oval pathsas shown in broken lines in Fig. 2, whereby they are widely separatedduring their back strokes and therefore cannot strike the strip materialat that time. The position of the main eccentrics when the blades areshearing on their forward stroke is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 whiletheir position when the blades are separated at the half-way point onthe return stroke is shown in Fig. 5.

Another feature of this invention is that the blades can be caused tomiss cuts without altering their basic oval paths. Accordingly, thelinks II that reciprocate cross beam 8 in frame are not rotatablymounted directly on shaft I, but on eccentric portions 36 of a sleeve 31that is rotatably mounted on the offset central portion of the shaft. Tocontrol the position of this sleeve relative to shaft I, it is encircledbetween its ends by integral gear teeth 38 that mesh with the interiorteeth 39 of a surrounding ring gear 40. This gear is rotatably mountedin a housing 4| in which there is a pinion 42 that meshes with theexterior teeth 43 of the gear. The pinion is mounted on a shaft 44 thatis driven at selected speeds from drive shaft l5 by means of changespeed gearing 45 (Fig. 3).

In order to shear during every forward stroke of the blades, shaft 44 isdriven at such a speed that auxiliary eccentrics 36 always poinupwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, when the blades are at the mid-point oftheir forward stroke. This results in the blades passing each otherwillciently to shear the strip material between them. On the other hand,if it is desired to miss cuts, the speed of ring gear 40 is changed sothat auxiliary eccentrics 36 will not point upwardly at the time a cutotherwise would take place. For example, to make a cut during everyfourth forward stroke only, the auxiliary eccentrics are rotated aroundthe eccentric central portion of shaft I at such a rate that eachsuccessive time statutes, I have explained the principle and modeofoperation of my invention and have illustrated. and described what I nowconsider to represent its best embodiments. However, I desire to have itunderstood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated anddescribed.

I claim:

1. A flying shearcomprising amovable frame,

'a blade rigidly mounted thereon, a blade carrier mounted for-guidedmovement in said frame, a

second blade secured to said carrier, a pair of eccentrics rigidlymounted relative to each other that portion of the shaft comes into itsupper to cooperate with the upper blade and make a cut, but on the nextor fourth cycle or forward stroke of the blades the auxiliary eccentricswill be back in the Fig. 4 position and a cut will be made.

and rotatable on a 'common axis, an adjustable eccentric rotatablymounted on one of said eccentrics, means operatively connecting theother eccentric and the adjustable eccentric to said frame and movableblade carrier for reciprocating the blades toward and away from eachother to cut strip material passing between them, means for oscillatingthe frame in the path of travel of said strip material, and meanscontrolling the position of said adjustable eccentric relative to theeccentric supporting it for varying the frequency of the cuts made bythe blades whereby to vary the length of the sheets cut from said stripmaterial.

2. A flying shear comprising a movable frame, a blade rigidly mountedthereon, a blade carrier mounted for guided movement in said frame, asecond blade secured to said carrier, a pair of eccentrics rigidlymounted relative to each other and rotatable on a common axis, anadjustable eccentric rotatably mounted on one of said eccentrics, meansoperatively connecting the other eccentric and the adjustable eccentricto said frame and movable blade carrier for reciprocating the bladestoward and away from each other to cut strip material passing betweenthem, means for oscillating the frame in the path of travel of saidstrip material, and means for constantly rotating said adjutableeccentric on the eccentric supporting it to cause said blades toperiodically miss cuts.

3. A flying shear comprising a movable frame, a blade rigidly mountedthereon, a blade carrier mounted for guided movement in said frame, asecond blade secured to said carrier, a pair of eccentrics rigidlymounted relative to each other and rotatable on a common axis, means forrotating said eccentrics around said axis, an adjustable eccentricrotatably mounted on one of said eccentrics, means operativelyconnecting the other eccentric and the adjustable eccentric to saidframe and movable blade carrier for reciprocating the blades toward andaway from each other to cut strip material passing between them, meansfor oscillating the frame in the path of travel of said strip material,and means variable in speed relative to said eccentric-rotating meansfor rotating said adjustable eccentric around the eccentric supportingit to cause said blades to periodically miss cuts.

It will be noted that during every back stroke 4. A flying shearcomprising a movable frame,

a blade rigidly mounted thereon, a blade carrier mounted for guidedmovement in said frame, a second blade secured to said carrier, a pairof laterally spaced eccentrics rotatable on a common axis, a shaftrigidly connecting said eccentrics and having its axis eccentric to saidcommon axis, an adjustable eccentric rotatably mounted on said shaft,means operatively connecting said pair of eccentrics and said adjustableeccentric to said frame and movable blade carrier for reciprocating theblades toward and away from each other to cut strip material passingbetween them, means for oscillating the frame in the path of travel ofsaid strip material, and means controlling the position of saidadjustable eccentric relative to said shaft for varying the frequency ofthe cuts made by the blades whereby to vary the length of the sheets cutfrom said strip material.

5. A flying shear comprising a movable frame, a blade rigidly mountedthereon, a blade carrier mounted for guided movementin said frame, asecond blade secured to said carrier, a pair of laterally spacedeccentrics rotatable on a common axis, a shaft rigidly connecting saideccentrics and having its axis eccentric to said common axis, a sleeverotatably mounted on said shaft and provided with an eccentric portion,means operatively connecting said pair of eccentrics and said sleeveeccentric to said frame and movable blade carrier for reciprocating theblades toward and away from each other to cut strip material passingbetween them, means for oscillating the frame in the path of travel ofsaid strip material, and means controlling the position of said sleeverelative to said shaft for varying the frequency of the cuts made by theblades whereby to vary the length of the sheets cut from said stripmaterial.

6. A flying shear comprising a movable frame, a blade rigidly mountedthereon, a blade carrier mounted for guided movement in said frame, asecond blade secured to said carrier, a pair of laterally spacedeccentrics rotatable on a common axis, a shaft rigidly connecting saideccentrics and having its axis eccentric to said common axis, a sleeverotatably mounted on said shaft and provided with an eccentric portion,means operatively connecting said pair of eccentrics and said sleeveeccentric to said frame and movable blade carrier for reciprocating theblades toward and away from each other to out strip material passingbetween them, means for oscillating the frame in the path of travel ofsaid strip material, a pinion mounted on the sleeve, and variable speedmeans driving said pinion for constantly rotating the sleeve on theshaft to cause said blades to, periodically miss cuts.

7. A flying shear comprising a movable frame, a blade rigidly mountedthereon, a blade carrier mounted for guided movement in said frame, asecond blade secured to said carrier, a pair of laterally spacedeccentrics rotatable on a common axis, a shaft rigidly connecting saideccentrics and having its axis eccentric to said common axis, a sleeverotatably mounted on said shaft and provided with an eccentric portion,means operatively connecting said pair of eccentrics and said sleeveeccentric to said frame and movable blade carrier for reciprocating theblades toward and away from each other to cut strip material passingbetween them, means for oscillating the frame in the path of travel ofsaid strip material, a pinion mounted on the sleeve, 9. ring gearsurrounding the sleeve and meshing with said pinion, and means fordriving said gear to vary the position of said sleeve relative to theshaft.

8. A flying shear for cutting material in motion comprising a pivotallymounted frame equipped with a cutting edge, a carrier mounted for guidedmovement in said frame and equipped with a cutting edge disposed tocooperate with said first-mentioned edge, means for reciprocating saidframe about its center of rotation so as to cause said cutting edges totravel back and forth in the general plane of travel of the strip to besevered, eccentric means for reciprocating said frame transversely ofthe travel of the strip. eccentric means for reciprocating said carrierrelativeto said frame and transversely of the travel of the stripwhereby to cause the cutting edge carried thereby to cooperate with theframecarried cutting edge to produce cuts, a second eccentric rotatablymounted on the carrier-actuating eccentric and interposed between thecarrier-actuating eccentric and the carrier, and means for independentlyactuating said interposed eccentric.

9. A flying shear according to claim 8 in which the means forindependently actuating the interposed eccentrics is adapted to socontrol the movement of the carrier as to determine the cutting cyclewith respect to the reciprocations of the oscillated frame.

HOWARD n. TALBOT.

